The Mercedes 300 consists of two models – the Mercedes 300 SEL and the 300D. The 300 SEL was first introduced in 1954 as a closed 2-seat sports car with typical gull-wing doors. Succeeding models were in open roadster body types. The “300” stood for the engine displacement of the car, which was three liters, while the SEL stood for “Sports light”, in short, a roadster. Production of the 300 SEL ended in 1963 with the entry of the 230SL. Daimler Benz built the 300 SEL on a chassis internally referred to as the W198. It was a fuel injected road model of the highly successful Mercedes racecar of 1952. The gullwing doors were necessary to accommodate the car’s tubular chassis. The tubular chassis was essential to make it easier for occupants to get in and out of the car – something that was particularly difficult to accomplish with the original chassis of the racecar version. In addition, this allowed for the installation of a tilt-away steering column that made the job even easier. The body of the SEL was primarily steel, except for the aluminum hood, trunk lid, and doors. By request, it was also available in an all-aluminum body, but the additional cost was daunting. The 3.0-liter straight-six engine with direct fuel injection almost doubled the power of the standard 300 or 3-liter engine. This new mechanical fuel injection setup from Bosch, which was the first among gasoline-fueled cars, resulted to a top speed of 260km/h. The SEL was tested to be the fastest production car at that time. The used Mercedes-Benz 300D, made its initial appearance in the mid 1970’s. The sedan carried a 3.0-liter 5-cylinder automatic transmission diesel engine with indirect fuel injection or mechanical fuel injection system (depending on the market) on a W123 chassis. This engine generated 80 to 88 horsepower. The 300 D W123 chassis continued to evolve with the introduction of a Turbo charged Diesel in 1982. The turbocharged sedan and wagon carried the usual 3.0-liter 5-cylinder engine. This engine considerably increased power output from the previous maximum of 88 hp to 123 hp while sustaining excellent efficiency and the reliability of earlier models. Also, during the year, the 300CD coupe was introduced. Mercedes stopped producing the W123 chassis in 1985. However, in many countries, around 75% of the 300D cars are still running after 20 years of being out of production – a testament to the durability and quality of the car’s original design.